Use a Pterodactyl for a Windscreen Wiper.
Maximum Dinobots Issue 1. December 10th 2008.
This is how it was.
The final act of Furman’s run on the IDWverse seems to have been even of a last minute thought that Revelation was, with (if, again, we can take him at his word), Shane McCarthy saying he was only made aware of Maximum Dinobots as he was writing All Hail Megatron issue 9, which might not have been such a problem if that series wasn’t, as we’ll see, tying more directly into the previous stories by that point and means we wind up getting what can only be called severe mood whiplash over the fates of certain characters that appear in both writers’ work.
Still, as a title for this five issue miniseries, Maximum Dinobots is clearly a statement of intent, deliberately evocative of the excess of 90’s comics, it could just as easily be called X-Treme Dinobots and is clearly Furman falling back into what he feels (and I suspect a lot of his fans would agree with him) he does best. Large scale, unashamedly nonsense, but great fun action.
How well he will pull it off is something we’ll see as we go along, but it certainly starts strongly, with an opening flashback (narrated by Grimlock, using what will be his series catchphrase of “This is the way it was/is”) of the Dynobots attacking a Decepticon fuel depot, possibly the same one mentioned in Spotlight: Shockwave, unleashing “Maximum mayhem!”.
This is how it was.
The final act of Furman’s run on the IDWverse seems to have been even of a last minute thought that Revelation was, with (if, again, we can take him at his word), Shane McCarthy saying he was only made aware of Maximum Dinobots as he was writing All Hail Megatron issue 9, which might not have been such a problem if that series wasn’t, as we’ll see, tying more directly into the previous stories by that point and means we wind up getting what can only be called severe mood whiplash over the fates of certain characters that appear in both writers’ work.
Still, as a title for this five issue miniseries, Maximum Dinobots is clearly a statement of intent, deliberately evocative of the excess of 90’s comics, it could just as easily be called X-Treme Dinobots and is clearly Furman falling back into what he feels (and I suspect a lot of his fans would agree with him) he does best. Large scale, unashamedly nonsense, but great fun action.
How well he will pull it off is something we’ll see as we go along, but it certainly starts strongly, with an opening flashback (narrated by Grimlock, using what will be his series catchphrase of “This is the way it was/is”) of the Dynobots attacking a Decepticon fuel depot, possibly the same one mentioned in Spotlight: Shockwave, unleashing “Maximum mayhem!”.
Dynobots is a better name than Lightning Strike Coalition.
As well as being strikingly drawn by Nick Roche (something I’ll probably be saying a lot during this series), it also makes it clear that this is going to be taking a different tact from Revolution. Someone, possibly IDW in wanting a trade of popular characters they can promote as more of its own thing, very obviously wants a book that can stand on its own two feet much more, meaning this opening doesn’t just assume you know the Dynobots, as they fight, Grimlock takes the time to introduce each one and sum up each of their characters, and explain what a dangerous off-the books special ops team they are.
Which feels like it might go a bit too far when we see Slag execute some Decepticons with their hands in in surrender. As this is a background detail, I wonder if it was scripted, or if Nick Roche was already fermenting some ideas about a team of this sort going too far.
Either way, as they celebrate their murderous victory, in a very nice transition, the comic fades to black and white as we cut to the present.
Or a year before the issue I talked about last week. Keep up.
Grimlock is pretty much in exactly the same position we left him in the Spring (moping around the wreck of the Skyfire), though how much time has passed is unclear, hopefully not the full 8 months or all that he’s managed being to make some cosmetic alterations to the body design he’s stuck with would look a bit sad.
Which feels like it might go a bit too far when we see Slag execute some Decepticons with their hands in in surrender. As this is a background detail, I wonder if it was scripted, or if Nick Roche was already fermenting some ideas about a team of this sort going too far.
Either way, as they celebrate their murderous victory, in a very nice transition, the comic fades to black and white as we cut to the present.
Or a year before the issue I talked about last week. Keep up.
Grimlock is pretty much in exactly the same position we left him in the Spring (moping around the wreck of the Skyfire), though how much time has passed is unclear, hopefully not the full 8 months or all that he’s managed being to make some cosmetic alterations to the body design he’s stuck with would look a bit sad.
Would be a 10/10 comic if Grimlock just revealed he ate Senator Holt.
And writing in an explanation for his character model being changed in the most minimal way feels like a deliberate raspberry at the complete and occasionally inexplicable redesign of nearly everyone in the McCarthy stuff.
In keeping with the idea to bring readers up to speed, Grimlock’s inner monologue covers his story so far through the Furman run. Most interesting though, is, after jumping through how he came to Earth and what Walkenok offered him, he describes Megatron’s troops as “Poised to take the Earth by force!”.
Which is not the taking over world leaders plotline Furman was working towards, suggesting he’s not just ignoring that strand so as not to tread on the toes of All Hail Megatron, it’s actively being retconned out for that series’ more direct attack. Which, considering it won’t even get a backwards reference in the Barber years (though, depending on lead in times, Furman may have already decided to reuse the basics in his UK Bayverse comics), that’s probably for the best all concerned.
Though there’s absolutely no way that Grimlock could know anything about Megatron’s Decepticons.
Continuing the recapping, near Reno, Skywatch have taken over a dinosaur themed amusement park (that uses a certain font for its logo that a real dinosaur themed amusement park wouldn’t dare do for fear of being sued by Universal), and are putting the other four Thunder-Lizards through their paces. Which mainly consists of them attacking old vehicles, which I’d say isn’t that much of a test, but at least the mind control seems to be working on these ones.
In keeping with the idea to bring readers up to speed, Grimlock’s inner monologue covers his story so far through the Furman run. Most interesting though, is, after jumping through how he came to Earth and what Walkenok offered him, he describes Megatron’s troops as “Poised to take the Earth by force!”.
Which is not the taking over world leaders plotline Furman was working towards, suggesting he’s not just ignoring that strand so as not to tread on the toes of All Hail Megatron, it’s actively being retconned out for that series’ more direct attack. Which, considering it won’t even get a backwards reference in the Barber years (though, depending on lead in times, Furman may have already decided to reuse the basics in his UK Bayverse comics), that’s probably for the best all concerned.
Though there’s absolutely no way that Grimlock could know anything about Megatron’s Decepticons.
Continuing the recapping, near Reno, Skywatch have taken over a dinosaur themed amusement park (that uses a certain font for its logo that a real dinosaur themed amusement park wouldn’t dare do for fear of being sued by Universal), and are putting the other four Thunder-Lizards through their paces. Which mainly consists of them attacking old vehicles, which I’d say isn’t that much of a test, but at least the mind control seems to be working on these ones.
Agent Red, in a bit of a flap.
At this point, Agent Ironhide... err... Cliffjumper... no, Red, is finally starting to have the penny drop about the fact all his plans fail in exactly the same way and isn’t it odd that this time, it seems to be working perfectly?
The recap baton is then passed to Dante (who turns out to use antlers in all of his decorating) at Machination HQ, as he gloats to his Skywatch mole about how, when the time is right, he’ll use his gizmo to unleash the full might of the Dynobots.
Then, after the call ends, in the most awkward part of the issue, he continues to talk to himself out-loud about the nature of his relationship with Scorponok ("I am no longer “I”, I am “We””) and his plans for the Machination Empire tm (so I guess that completely inexplicable phrase did at least get another name-check I'd forgotten) and his army of now Diaclone variant coloured Sunstreaker Headmasters.
At least Grimlock had the good grace to keep his recapping to his internal monologue. And indeed, Furman had talked about this series, with 5 issues, of being a sort of Spotlight for each Dinobot as it goes along, even though Grimlock already had one. We’ll see how that goes over the next four parts.
The sight of the Sunstreakers brings us to the final Story So Far, as in Massachusetts, Huntsteaker destroys a Machination front, and Hunter (“Driving” the car as a holo-avatar rather than the old Headmaster thing of the fleshy one just sitting in the car, which like a complication that isn’t really needed) and his partner handily telling each other all the stuff that bought them to this point.
The recap baton is then passed to Dante (who turns out to use antlers in all of his decorating) at Machination HQ, as he gloats to his Skywatch mole about how, when the time is right, he’ll use his gizmo to unleash the full might of the Dynobots.
Then, after the call ends, in the most awkward part of the issue, he continues to talk to himself out-loud about the nature of his relationship with Scorponok ("I am no longer “I”, I am “We””) and his plans for the Machination Empire tm (so I guess that completely inexplicable phrase did at least get another name-check I'd forgotten) and his army of now Diaclone variant coloured Sunstreaker Headmasters.
At least Grimlock had the good grace to keep his recapping to his internal monologue. And indeed, Furman had talked about this series, with 5 issues, of being a sort of Spotlight for each Dinobot as it goes along, even though Grimlock already had one. We’ll see how that goes over the next four parts.
The sight of the Sunstreakers brings us to the final Story So Far, as in Massachusetts, Huntsteaker destroys a Machination front, and Hunter (“Driving” the car as a holo-avatar rather than the old Headmaster thing of the fleshy one just sitting in the car, which like a complication that isn’t really needed) and his partner handily telling each other all the stuff that bought them to this point.
An Empire=A Classic Car Collection.
The new information comes from a USB drive the increasingly frustrated pair grabbed from the just exploded building, and you can tell Hunter is now superhuman because he plugs it in the right way up first time. He can also now read binary code, asking what a “Dinobot” is.
And considering his first appearance had Hunter getting weird over pronunciation, it’s fitting that in his final real story (at least, the final issue of this series will be out after we see what he’s been up to in the All Hail Megatron series) has him somehow finding a way to pronounce “Dinobot” distinctly different from “Dynobot”. And without knowing they turn into dinosaurs, so that’s a lucky coincidence.
I guess Dante’s people aren’t great at writing in binary if they let that typo through as well.
Sunstreaker simply replies that Dyinobots are “Something of an ancient relic”. With first draft lines being “Something of a wrath of guardian” and “Something of a 4 million year itch”.
You can tell this whole sequence is really just to establish their backstory and relationship though, because as far as I can tell, the Machination are still based in the same main headquarters they escaped from, so I’m not sure why Huntstreaker is running about everywhere looking for his original head, rather than starting at the obvious place.
And considering his first appearance had Hunter getting weird over pronunciation, it’s fitting that in his final real story (at least, the final issue of this series will be out after we see what he’s been up to in the All Hail Megatron series) has him somehow finding a way to pronounce “Dinobot” distinctly different from “Dynobot”. And without knowing they turn into dinosaurs, so that’s a lucky coincidence.
I guess Dante’s people aren’t great at writing in binary if they let that typo through as well.
Sunstreaker simply replies that Dyinobots are “Something of an ancient relic”. With first draft lines being “Something of a wrath of guardian” and “Something of a 4 million year itch”.
You can tell this whole sequence is really just to establish their backstory and relationship though, because as far as I can tell, the Machination are still based in the same main headquarters they escaped from, so I’m not sure why Huntstreaker is running about everywhere looking for his original head, rather than starting at the obvious place.
"What's a Dinobot?" "Dinobot these nuts"
Still, halfway through the issue, and with nearly all the main players introduced for readers who just like Dinobots, the actual plot can start, as back on the Skyfire, Grimlock decides it’s time to call in help, from other disreputable types. Who you might be able to work out from the Cybertronian text on his screen as it resembles the alt mode heads of the bots who are monsters in question.
Unfortunately, he should have thought to do this sooner rather than playing with his body, as a Machination helicopter has now found him, and, as Dante suits up, an army of Arctic themed Sunstreakers are sent through a little mini space bridge and a big, Skyfire destroying, fight ensues.
Which is great fun and emphasises the Headmasters are indeed a bit crap (for all his “We” stuff, Dante is definitely being sold a lemon), as Grimlock turns out to be “So much bigger and stronger than we were told”. Which is certainly a boast for him to make in bars later.
A panel of beast mode Grimlock emerging from the destroyed ship wreckage with a mighty “GROOONK” is especially outstanding and shows Nick Roche at his best.
Luckily for the Sunstreakers who are starting to look like they should have worn the redshirt bodies rather than the while, the plan isn’t to kill Grimlock, but to attach a homer to him that will allow the Machination to teleport him all the way back to Nevada, in the town of Fallon. Or right outside Skywatch headquarters.
Unfortunately, he should have thought to do this sooner rather than playing with his body, as a Machination helicopter has now found him, and, as Dante suits up, an army of Arctic themed Sunstreakers are sent through a little mini space bridge and a big, Skyfire destroying, fight ensues.
Which is great fun and emphasises the Headmasters are indeed a bit crap (for all his “We” stuff, Dante is definitely being sold a lemon), as Grimlock turns out to be “So much bigger and stronger than we were told”. Which is certainly a boast for him to make in bars later.
A panel of beast mode Grimlock emerging from the destroyed ship wreckage with a mighty “GROOONK” is especially outstanding and shows Nick Roche at his best.
Luckily for the Sunstreakers who are starting to look like they should have worn the redshirt bodies rather than the while, the plan isn’t to kill Grimlock, but to attach a homer to him that will allow the Machination to teleport him all the way back to Nevada, in the town of Fallon. Or right outside Skywatch headquarters.
Grooonk was baby Yoda, right?
Interestingly, one of the shops in the high-street (next to a run by The Mighty Boosh Barratt and Fielding store) is Pat’s Flannels. Which fulfils your “Flannel, plaid and gingham needs”.
Now, as Nick Roche has form for little digs at Pat Lee (especially for someone who didn’t get ripped off by him), I assumed this was a similar gag to the crushed Porsche back in Devastation, but couldn’t quite work it out. Thankfully people on Twitter who are more sophisticated and subtle than me when it comes to insults (I’ll just flat out call someone a cunt), pointed out that saying someone is “Flannel” is another way of saying they’re so full of shit it’s dribbling out of their nostrils.
See, that Nick Roche is a crafty bugger. Don’t get on the wrong side of him, or you too might be lightly roasted by signage in a comic.
Grimlock immediately realises this is bad, as does Agent Red when the information comes in. Again, how convenient all this is, to have the lost thunder-lizard coming back of their own accord without being spotted along the way, is sounding some alarm bells, but not enough to stop him sending the other Dynobots along in a jaunty little convoy of trucks. But not before blocking any and all transmissions in and out of the place (a procedure we never saw any hint of in Grimlock’s Spotlight when he first went through the neighbourhood) in order to try and sync up with the terrorist cover story for the robots in All Hail Megatron.
This includes shooting down any aircraft that go overhead down. Which, for a town that in real life has an airport within two miles (or so close it’s named Fallon Municipal Airport) is a bad idea.
Now, as Nick Roche has form for little digs at Pat Lee (especially for someone who didn’t get ripped off by him), I assumed this was a similar gag to the crushed Porsche back in Devastation, but couldn’t quite work it out. Thankfully people on Twitter who are more sophisticated and subtle than me when it comes to insults (I’ll just flat out call someone a cunt), pointed out that saying someone is “Flannel” is another way of saying they’re so full of shit it’s dribbling out of their nostrils.
See, that Nick Roche is a crafty bugger. Don’t get on the wrong side of him, or you too might be lightly roasted by signage in a comic.
Grimlock immediately realises this is bad, as does Agent Red when the information comes in. Again, how convenient all this is, to have the lost thunder-lizard coming back of their own accord without being spotted along the way, is sounding some alarm bells, but not enough to stop him sending the other Dynobots along in a jaunty little convoy of trucks. But not before blocking any and all transmissions in and out of the place (a procedure we never saw any hint of in Grimlock’s Spotlight when he first went through the neighbourhood) in order to try and sync up with the terrorist cover story for the robots in All Hail Megatron.
This includes shooting down any aircraft that go overhead down. Which, for a town that in real life has an airport within two miles (or so close it’s named Fallon Municipal Airport) is a bad idea.
Pat Lee does NFTs these days. genuinely, that's not one of my wacky jokes.
The cliff-hanger is Hot Rod, arriving too late for his backstory to be explained, pulling up at Machination HQ as Dante watches, and he cheerfully combines to the full Walkenok, ready to take the Autobot apart. Which feels an odd cliff-hanger, but I suppose if you are a new reader, it’s a more striking visual.
This issue does involve a lot of set-up, but for all the first half is about explaining how we got here, I actually enjoyed that more than any issue in weeks. If the title promised 90s excess, it might not quite have gotten that far (yet), but the central fight sequence around the Skyfire is brilliantly done, and, other than the awkwardness of the Dante scene, the “Let me tell you things I already know” is actually handled as well as it could be. Indeed, I didn’t quite realise how much of the issue was given over to that until I started breaking it down for this write up.
And the length of time since we’ve touched on any of these plots means Furman seems to have had time to think about some of the things that weren’t working properly previously, such as really trying very hard to make Agent Red more self-aware of how ridiculous his plot has been.
Now, my memories of the rest of this series are not hugely promising, so maybe this new-found momentum will burn out pretty quickly, but, far more than Revelation, once you factor in the outside constraints working against it, this is a stronger opening than it had any right to be. And Nick Roche is, as ever, far more gingham than flannel.
This issue does involve a lot of set-up, but for all the first half is about explaining how we got here, I actually enjoyed that more than any issue in weeks. If the title promised 90s excess, it might not quite have gotten that far (yet), but the central fight sequence around the Skyfire is brilliantly done, and, other than the awkwardness of the Dante scene, the “Let me tell you things I already know” is actually handled as well as it could be. Indeed, I didn’t quite realise how much of the issue was given over to that until I started breaking it down for this write up.
And the length of time since we’ve touched on any of these plots means Furman seems to have had time to think about some of the things that weren’t working properly previously, such as really trying very hard to make Agent Red more self-aware of how ridiculous his plot has been.
Now, my memories of the rest of this series are not hugely promising, so maybe this new-found momentum will burn out pretty quickly, but, far more than Revelation, once you factor in the outside constraints working against it, this is a stronger opening than it had any right to be. And Nick Roche is, as ever, far more gingham than flannel.
Big Crotch boy.
And that ends 2008. That we’ve wound up back in a Furman written arc spinning out of Escalation can mask how long that year has felt and how different a place the IDW comics now feel like they’re in. That the new direction and its impact on the stories around it have, to put it mildly, not been hugely successful is an understatement. Which leaves one question, can the year of the Revenge of the Fallen turn things around?
Find out next week (back on a Friday) as we hit the (originally intended) midpoint of All Hail Megatron.
(Red joke call-back stolen from LlamaGod on Twitter. Luckily there’s no way he’ll ever know. The perfect crime.)
ALL HAIL MEGATRON ISSUE 5
2008
COMMENT
KO-FI
Find out next week (back on a Friday) as we hit the (originally intended) midpoint of All Hail Megatron.
(Red joke call-back stolen from LlamaGod on Twitter. Luckily there’s no way he’ll ever know. The perfect crime.)
ALL HAIL MEGATRON ISSUE 5
2008
COMMENT
KO-FI
